Fifth largest Maryland school district chooses SMART products to support specialized instruction
CALGARY, AB --- November 13, 2009 --- SMART Technologies announces that Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) in Annapolis, Maryland, is purchasing a number of SMART products to support specialized instruction across the district. In the 2009-2010 school year, AACPS has earmarked approximately US$815,000 of American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) special education funds for technology purchases, including 118 SMART Response interactive response systems, 74 SMART Board™ interactive whiteboards and 42 SMART Slate wireless slates.
AACPS first began installing SMART products in 2005. Today, the district has more than 1,000 SMART Board interactive whiteboards and each classroom in every refurbished or newly built school receives a SMART Board interactive whiteboard and ceiling-mounted projector. AACPS’s technology initiative for the 2009–2010 school year focuses on the integration of interactive technology in both special education and general education co-taught classrooms. The co-taught classroom program integrates students with special education needs into general classrooms that have two teachers, one of whom specializes in the instruction of students with special learning requirements. Over the last three years, AACPS has witnessed a significant increase in the academic success, engagement and motivation of its diverse learners through this program.
“We are committed to technology integration for all students, especially our students with special needs,” says Mary Tillar, director of special education at AACPS. “SMART’s education solutions intuitively meet the needs of 21st-century learners and naturally promote formative assessment, differentiated instruction and standards-driven outcomes for learners of all abilities.”
“The administrators and teachers at Anne Arundel County Public Schools recognize the numerous benefits of integrating technology in the classroom, particularly for learners with special needs,” says Nancy Knowlton, SMART’s CEO. “Adopting SMART products throughout the district demonstrates their commitment to preparing all students for a future in a technology-enabled world.”
About Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Anne Arundel County Public Schools (AACPS) offers a challenging and rewarding education experience for every child. AACPS boasts 10 National Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence and 13 Maryland Blue Ribbon Schools of Excellence. Anne Arundel County is located near Baltimore, Maryland, and Washington, DC, and is home to the state capital, Annapolis. With more than 74,000 students, 5,600 teachers and 120 schools, the AACPS school system is the fifth largest in Maryland and among the 50 largest districts in the United States.
About SMART
SMART Technologies introduced the world’s first interactive whiteboard in 1991 and today remains the global interactive whiteboard category leader, providing easy-to-use, integrated hardware, software and services that improve the way the world collaborates and learns. For more than 20 years, innovation and commitment to excellence have been at the core of its business. SMART revolutionized the education market with products that empower educators to improve student outcomes by effectively implementing technology products that support all learning styles and environments. The company helps business people achieve better results with products that enable more productive meetings and collaborative work. Its success is driven by a deep commitment to and engagement with both the education and business communities. SMART offers products, resources and services that positively transform the way people learn and work.
